QuakeIndex

Earthquake · reviewed by a seismologist

M 2.2md

Earthquake near Lake Murray of Richland, SC

No earthquake was likely felt in Lake Murray of Richland in the 24 hours to 9:15 am EST (14:15 UTC). The last one was M 2.1, 6 km (4 mi) SE, at 2:32 am EDT on 19 March 2026, estimated intensity II (weak) in town; 110 felt reports to USGS. Every earthquake near Lake Murray of Richland

This page: a magnitude 2.2 earthquake was recorded 6 km (4 mi) south-southeast of Lake Murray of Richland, SC, at 1:55 pm EST on 1 March 2026 (18:55 UTC), 4.0 km deep. 40 people have reported feeling it to USGS.

USGS: 5 km SSE of Lake Murray of Richland, South Carolina

31 km (20 mi) W of Columbia, SC · 132 km (82 mi) SSW of Charlotte, NC

1:55 pm EST, Mar 1, 2026 · · 4.0 km deep · released about 69 lb of TNT

10 km30 km60 km120 km N Lexington County 20 kmRichland County 32 kmFairfield County 38 kmNewberry County 41 kmSaluda County 45 kmCalhoun County 62 kmKershaw County 67 kmAiken County 68 kmChester County 69 km
Distance rings around the epicentre, with the nearest towns at their true direction and later quakes as coloured dots. Not a shaking map — see the USGS ShakeMap for that.
When
1:55 pm EST on 1 March 2026 ()
Where
6 km (4 mi) south-southeast of Lake Murray of Richland, SC · earthquakes near Lake Murray of Richland
South Carolina today
every earthquake in South Carolina in the last 24 hours
Magnitude
M 2.2 (md)
Depth
4.0 km below the surface
Felt
40 reports · strongest reported intensity III
Nearest
Lexington County, 20 km S
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

USGS · last changed by USGS · we first saw it 252 days ago

This was a minor earthquake. Quakes this small are rarely felt and do not cause damage.

At this magnitude and depth, people at rest would likely notice it out to about 34 km (21 mi) from the epicentre. In Lake Murray of Richland, 6 km away, the estimate is intensity III (weak). Estimated from magnitude, depth and distance with the intensity equation USGS Did You Feel It? uses; felt reports, where there are any, are the measurement.

Likely felt in: Columbia 21 km, intensity II · Dentsville 26 km, intensity II. Estimated for each town centre; each link is that town's own record.

How big was it?

This earthquake released about 69 lb of TNT. Magnitude is logarithmic: each whole step up releases about 32 times more energy, so a magnitude 3.2 would have released about 32 times as much.

  1. Mineral, Virginia 2011 M 5.8 220,000× the energy of this one
  2. Magna, Utah 2020 M 5.7 150,000× the energy of this one
  3. Around the size people start to feel M 3.0 14× the energy of this one
  4. This earthquake M 2.2 about 69 lb of TNT

Energy from the Gutenberg–Richter relation (log10E = 1.5M + 4.8), rounded to two figures; bar length is magnitude, which is already a logarithm of energy. Magnitudes of past earthquakes from the USGS catalogue.

For this area

No earthquake of M4 or more has been recorded within 50 km since our catalogue begins in 2016.

Before 2016, the USGS record since 1900 lists no earthquake of M5 or more within 50 km.

Since 2016: the QuakeIndex catalogue (US, M1.5+), built from the USGS FDSN event service. Before 2016: USGS ComCat, M5+ from 1900. Distances are between epicentres. This is the record, not a forecast.

Where

Epicentre 34.0718, -81.2450. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Nearby places

PlaceDistanceDirection from the epicentre
Lexington County, SC 20 km (13 mi) S earthquakes near Lexington County
Richland County, SC 32 km (20 mi) E earthquakes near Richland County
Fairfield County, SC 38 km (23 mi) NNE earthquakes near Fairfield County
Newberry County, SC 41 km (25 mi) NW earthquakes near Newberry County
Saluda County, SC 45 km (28 mi) W earthquakes near Saluda County
Calhoun County, SC 62 km (38 mi) SE earthquakes near Calhoun County

Places and coordinates from the US Census Bureau Gazetteer (2024). Distances are from the epicentre.

Aftershocks so far

8 earthquakes have been recorded within 50 km since this one.

  1. 1.6 9 km NNE of Jenkinsville, South Carolina
  2. 2.2 6 km E of Elgin, South Carolina
  3. 1.9 19 km NW of Winnsboro, South Carolina
  4. 1.9 11 km N of Irmo, South Carolina
  5. 2.4 18 km NW of Winnsboro, South Carolina
  6. 2.3 17 km NW of Winnsboro, South Carolina
  7. 2.3 18 km NW of Winnsboro, South Carolina
  8. 2.1 3 km W of Irmo, South Carolina

Counted from the QuakeIndex database, which ingests the USGS feed every 30 seconds · as of . QuakeIndex does not forecast aftershocks. When USGS issues an operational aftershock forecast it appears on the USGS event page.

On USGS

QuakeIndex does not issue warnings. For earthquake early warning see ShakeAlert.